Blue is the colour

ILLUSTRIOUS BLUE aims to supplement a brilliant win in Dubai with another valuable success on sand when he tackles the Betdirect Winter Derby today.

Lingfield may be considered a less glamorous destination than Nad Al Sheba but this 10-furlong event was pinpointed soon after the four-year-old’s February romp.

Bookmakers are alive to the threat he poses with Paddy Power making him their 11-2 co-second favourite of the 12 declared runners.